The appointment, which was widely expected and was predicted by insidethegames last month, was announced by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe and David Kenworthy, the former policeman appointed as the chairman of UKAD in July.

 

Parkinson, 40, is already currently overseeing Britain’s anti-doping programme as head of Drug Free Sport at UK Sport and has been widely praised for his work.

 

Sutcliffe said: "Andy Parkinson's expertise and knowledge on anti-doping issues is first-class.

 

"With Andy and David Kenworthy at the helm we have a leadership team that will ensure that UKAD hits the ground running in the battle against drug cheats."

 

Kenworthy said: "I am delighted to have Andy on board and have no doubt he will be an exceptional first chief executive for UKAD.

 

"At UK Sport he has shown the leadership, expertise and drive we need to take anti-doping in the UK to the next level and firmly establish UKAD as a true world leader in the run-up to London 2012 and beyond."

 

Parkinson, who has spent much of his life in New Zealand but is a British citizen, joined UK Sport in August 2006, initially as head of operations before becoming director of Drug-Free Sport in July 2008.

 

Prior to that he was Medical and Scientific Director at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), including being in charge of operations at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens and the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games in Turin.

 

Before joining the IPC in 2003, he had spent four years as Sport Services Manager at Paralympics New Zealand.

 

Parkinson also spent two years as President of New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby and was a member of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation’s Steering Committee.

 

Parkinson said: "Becoming chief executive of UKAD will be a huge challenge and one I am very much looking forward to taking on.

 

"The establishment of UKAD marks a new era in the fight against doping in sport in the UK.

 

"It provides an opportunity to build on the progress made by UK Sport over the past few years, and further enhance the UK's capabilities in anti-doping through the creation of case management and intelligence functions.

 

"Importantly I want to ensure we forge effective partnerships with the sports and athletes with whom we work, so that clean athletes are proud to be associated with UKAD and we continue to develop a culture in which doping is simply not tolerated."
 

The next set of crucial appointments will be the Board members of UKAD.

 

Advertisments appeared in the Sunday Times earlier this month.

 

Applications close on September 8 and interviews are scheduled in London for October 21 and 30.